A couple of people have been asking me about my Plate Tour of Webster and whether or not I’ve had my second plate yet. I have to admit that yes, indeed, I did try my second one a few weeks ago; it’s just taken me a while to write about it. Here you go:

My second Plate Tour stop was at Tom Wahl’s on Empire Blvd. It was actually a double-date, since I chose a Thursday night, Cruise Night at Tom Wahl’s, so I could write a blog about that as well. My family joined me once again, including my eldest daughter Sara, a self-professed plate expert, who scoffed at the prospect of getting a plate at a place like Tom Wahl’s (e.g. not a hots place, I guess). She likened it to going to Chicago and ordering deep dish from Pizza Hut.

Still, she wasn’t going to turn down a chance to get a plate.

Fully keeping in mind the fact that this particular plate was only the second I have ever had in my life, I will nevertheless attempt to make some meaningful comparisons with the one from Webster Hots, and offer some considered opinions.

The Tom Wahl’s “Junker Plate” comes standard with mac salad and french fries, hot sauce, onions and mustard. If you want any other side, you’re out of luck. And if you want anything but a hamburger, cheeseburger, red or white hot, you’re out of luck. Basically, your options are limited.

But that didn’t bother me at all since I was planning to order a cheeseburger plate anyway, with the standard toppings. The meal was served on a sturdy paper plate, which pleased my environmentally-conscious sensibilities (Webster Hots serves their plates in styrofoam containers). It came with a very nice dinner roll instead of stale bread. And the hot sauce was tasty and not oppressively hot. When I got to the bottom of the plate, I found there was very little grease, even less than the plate from Webster Hots. I was really happy about that, since even the small amount of grease from the Webster Hots plate had upset my stomach a bit. And the mac salad wasn’t goopy. All good things in my book.

What I didn’t particularly like about the Tom Wahl’s plate, though, was that it was served with french fries instead of home fries. And the burger was kind of cube-steak like, which I understand from my kids is just the way their burgers are. But it didn’t seem very juicy. So basically it was like getting a burger and fries with hot sauce, mustard and onions thrown on top. Bottom line, it paled in comparison with Webster Hots.

The root beer was great, though.

SURVEY RESULTS

Now, you may remember I asked plate eaters from around town to answer a quick survey about who they thought served the best plate. So far I have had 34 responses; here’s a summary of the more interesting results thus far:

1) How many plates have you eaten?

I am pleased to see that a large percentage of the survey’s respondents are serious plate eaters. A full third of them have eaten more than 50 plates, most reporting they have eaten “more than I can remember.”

2) At which Webster restaurants?

The answers are fairly evenly divided between Bay Hots, Bill Gray’s, Charlies, Webster Hots, with about 10-15 each, but they’re all blown away by Empire Hots, with 27.

3) What is the best meat to get on a plate?

Most people prefer cheeseburgers, followed by red hots, then hamburgers.

4) What combination of sides is best?

No doubt about it. Home fries and mac salad.

5) What toppings do you get?

This is a bit of a surprise. Only 23 of the 34 respondents report ordering hot sauce. Katchup, mustard and onions are clearly popular, with 17 people ordering “everything.”

6) Who has the best hot sauce?

Empire Hots, far and away, with 20 votes. The next closest is Charlie’s with 7.

7) What is the best time to eat a plate?

Most people like the 8 to midnight time frame, with 4 die hards opting for 2-4 am.

And finally, the million dollar question:

8 ) Who has the best plate in Webster?

Empire Hots wins this one hands down with 21 votes, with second and third places going to Bay Hots and Empire Hots with two votes each. Perhaps it has something to do with the word “hots” in the name of the restaurant?

If you haven’t had a chance to voice your opinion, click HERE to take the survey. I’ll publish updated results later.

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Missy Rosenberry, a graduate of Cornell University, spent many of her post-college years in radio, advertising and public relations. After taking most of the 1990s off to have her three children, she is now a full-time teaching assistant for the Webster school district, and a part-time karate instructor. She and husband Jack have lived in the Webster/Penfield area with the kids for 11 years. She'd like to use her blog to help others learn more about the Webster community.

Roderick Spratling is a husband and father of two who has lived in the community for over 18 years. Born and raised in Detroit, Spratling is a 1976 graduate of Michigan State University who earned a master’s degree in Manufacturing Management & Leadership from RIT in 2004. He’s a Purchasing Consultant in Global Purchasing for Xerox Corp., and he enjoys softball, bowling, photography, and traveling.